distressed 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of distressednext
1
as in troubled

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in depressed

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Dissimilar Words

distressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of distress
as in alarmed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy don't let all the bad news distress you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distressed
Adjective
Anything Faux Distressed Farmhouse chic is falling out of style—and the distressed look is going with it. — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 16 July 2026 For our interview, Mulchandani wore a distressed Balenciaga T-shirt, and Pissenem sat in his G-Wagon. — Max Marshall, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026
Verb
And so, hounded by creditors and distressed by mounting debts, the remaining family had to leave their formerly genteel surroundings for the gritty, unsentimental shadows of the Yoshiwara. — Literary Hub, 28 May 2026 Today many Coloradans are saddened and distressed by this unjustifiable act but not at all surprised. — Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for distressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressed
  1. troubled
  2. depressed
  3. alarmed
  4. agitated
  5. reduced
  6. disturbed
  7. ruined
  8. distracted
Adjective
  • Beyond America’s troubled EV industry, Tesla is doing more than just surviving.
    — Tim Levin, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • That can open the door for troubled cops to hop from one police department to another.
    — Meg Anderson, NPR, 23 July 2026
Definition of troubled
Adjective
  • The rest were overseas — many of them belonging to impoverished locals living in conflict zones or economically depressed regions where other employment options are scarce.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • The adviser told me that, even without drastically expanding the budget or upending the financial markets, Burnham could borrow a bit more to finance public-infrastructure investments and channel money to depressed regions.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of depressed
Verb
  • There is currently no evidence that this is the case, and news reports suggest that OpenAI’s own safety teams were alarmed by the incident.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 24 July 2026
  • America’s Poison Centers’s national helpline receives more than 60,000 calls about possible vitamin poisoning every year, mostly from parents alarmed after their children have accidentally gorged on the chewy sweets.
    — Cat Rainsford, Popular Science, 23 July 2026
Definition of alarmed
Adjective
  • In the theatre, Holzinger’s instructions were direct, never agitated or hostile, spoken into a microphone from the front row.
    — Lauren Oyler, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • Sharks do not typically view humans as prey, but, as wildlife biologist Forrest Galante explained to OutKick Outdoors, a curious or agitated shark can still do plenty of damage with an exploratory bite.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of agitated
Adjective
  • Snack manufacturers and alcohol producers are facing the prospect of reduced appetites.
    — Elyse Moody, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026
  • While some project significant costs, others foresee billions in Medicare savings from reduced hospitalizations.
    — Sally Pipes, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • The gunk Bondurant observed was likely didymo disturbed off the bottom of the river by people swimming and walking around.
    — Hannah Smith July 25, Idaho Statesman, 25 July 2026
  • By contrast, ecological systems are complexly interconnected, meaning that when one element is disturbed, all the other components linked to it are affected, too, spreading the disturbance throughout the system.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of disturbed
Adjective
  • Sitting on the rim of his consciousness was always cataclysm, the muted whisper of a ruined world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of ruined
Verb
  • He was distracted by his own grief, and so was everyone else.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
  • And while the fall prestige slate has not been revealed, the Academy membership has a habit of falling for a summer release in July and then being distracted by new, shiny objects in January.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 23 July 2026
Definition of distracted

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Cite this Entry

“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressed. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of distressed for Spanish Speakers

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